


How To Make Light Stay

by altered_eagle



Series: City Goblins [25]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Batjokes, Being Batman is Hard, Bruce Wayne Whump, Established Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Joker-Alfred tag team, Kinda, M/M, Other, The Babysitter's Club, fuckin' a, i'm high and this is sad, injuries, thank you and good night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:01:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23833528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altered_eagle/pseuds/altered_eagle
Summary: Honey hold still, your knee’s all messed upStop,Bruce interrupted batting the Joker’s hands away.Four more went missing last night and whoever’s doing it is out there right now but the only information i’m getting is from the god. Damn television don’t you tell me to
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Bruce Wayne, Joker (DCU) & Alfred Pennyworth, Joker (DCU) & Bruce Wayne, Joker (DCU)/Bruce Wayne
Series: City Goblins [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/268030
Comments: 26
Kudos: 67





	How To Make Light Stay

**Author's Note:**

> This one's a bit different. 
> 
> Bruce is called Bruce.
> 
> Sorry Alfred.

_Honey hold still, your knee’s all messed up_

_Stop,_ Bruce interrupted batting the Joker’s hands away. _Four more went missing last night and whoever’s doing it is out there_ **_right now_ ** _but the only information i’m getting is from the god. Damn television, don’t you tell me to_ Bruce only stopped speaking because his breath caught and he started coughing hard enough to gag from the pain hard enough for the Joker’s hand to rest on the curve of his spine and rub, as he hacked into a tissue.

 _What, so Batman’s gonna go out chasing leads with broken ribs and a dislocated patella? i’d like to see that._ The Joker laughed but it sounded strained. Bruce folded his arms, set his jaw. 

_i’ll either fly or stay in the car. i’ll do it somehow._ The Joker snorted. 

_Now you’re not even making sense, you must be in more pain than i thought._

_These are CHILDREN, Joker. We’re not talking about your life or mine or a couple of officers; there are innocent children’s lives at stake and god i don’t even know how many i can_ _—_

_Bruce_

_—f_ _ucking save at this point, i don’t even know how many are still alive..._ Bruce’s voice trailed off into a cough into a gasp of pain.

 _Shh i know,_ the Joker crooned as he fit an ice pack against Bruce’s injured ribs. _It’s not fair of them to stoop this low just to get at Batman._

 _You’ve blown up hospitals,_ Alfred remarked and the Joker glared at him. 

_Yeah but i’ve never specifically targeted kids Alfred, i’m not about that_

_Sometimes you might as well be_

_Will the both of you just SHUT UP._ A thud followed by a sharp cry as Bruce drove his fist into the bedpost and the other men fell silent. _As long as i can get into the suit and down to the goddamn cave so help me i will not. Let either of you stop me now let me up._

 _Bruce…_ The Joker let out a sigh that rasped his abused lungs, and raised his eyes to Alfred’s. 

Something passed between them, and after a moment Alfred nodded.

_Okay,_ the Joker said suddenly with an air of resignation. _Okay. i’ll be back in an hour._ His words were not directed at Bruce but at his butler. _Can i grab some stuff on the way out, or_ ** _—_ **the Joker gestured at the doorway and Alfred nodded again.

 _Joker,_ Bruce choked out reaching for him, _don’t you fucking dare_

 _Language…_ Alfred’s hand passed across Bruce’s forehead before he turned to address the Joker, who was already halfway under the bed after his shoes _My safes are all open; take whatever you need. Both the thompson and the desert eagle have been recently cleaned and calibrated._

 _Alfred stay out of this_ , Bruce tried to warn but his voice gave out, and when he went to move off the mattress his butler kept a gentle pressure on his chest enough that he felt the strength there but not enough that he couldn’t fight back if he wanted to. 

He didn’t. 

He truly wasn’t certain he could make it across the room let alone down to the cave, where the Joker was headed now.

 _i’ll be back in an hour,_ the Joker repeated, and bent down to kiss Bruce’s furrowed brow. _Don’t worry._

 _You can’t just say that,_ Bruce snapped as the Joker whirled his great purple coat around his shoulders _You can’t fucking. Say ‘don’t worry’ while you’re going for Alfred’s guns and just expect me to play along_

 _i don’t Bruce Wayne,_ the Joker said softly, _i don’t. Listen i won’t kill anyone yet._ He took his cigarette pack from his coat pocket. _i have to go okay?_

 _You won’t...yet? Joker_. Bruce’s voice turned pleading. _Joker look at me._

But the Joker wouldn’t, and after he kissed Bruce’s forehead again (twice) he left in all in a rush without another word.

 _i don’t approve of this!_ Bruce called after him but it came out strangled and weak and Alfred shushed him, reached with a washcloth to clean the red paint off his skin.

_With all due respect we don’t need your approval to stop you from going on a suicide mission. Sir._

_'We',_ Bruce sighed, settling back at last. Resigned. _Alfred i know you love me but you can’t just let him hurt people._

 _i let him hurt_ **_you_ ** _all the time_ , Alfred replied, and there was a darkness in his eyes that Bruce hadn’t seen in a long time.

_"I know that days don't come back, please believe in me_  
_And then my eyes just turn red, far as the light can see_  
_I'll abide her arms stretched, through the years and hours_  
_As the quiet dawning then began to sour_

_I've been wasting most my time_  
_Living for the day_  
_When like bugs we figured out_  
_How to make light stay_

_Putting out my heart and crowned with aches and seams_  
_Through the fallen houses rimmed with light and heat_  
_What about my path would haunt this new dark hours_  
_Crushed men don't hold on when the shadows tower_

_I've been wasting most my time_  
_Living for the day_  
_When like bugs we figured out_  
_How to make light stay_

_I've been wasting most my time_  
_Living for the day_  
_When like bugs we figured out_  
_How to make light stay"_

[ —Bugs: O'Death](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CZJ3TpuFfI)


End file.
